Catherine Ellis
Oracle resident Catherine Ellis, a noted author and historian, was presented the Sharlot Hall Award on Aug. 4 at the Prescott Centennial Center as part of the 15th Annual Western History Symposium. The award is given to a living Arizona woman who has made a valuable contribution to the understanding and awareness of Arizona and its history.
Catherine was honored for her work as a writer, author and historian. She is a 5th generation Arizonan, a descendant of Mormon Battalion captain Jefferson Hunt who first crossed through southern Arizona in the 1840s. She has been an editorial consultant for the Journal of Arizona History and has had articles published in the journal including one which won the “Barry M. Goldwater Award” for best paper on Arizona history.
Catherine has had numerous books published including Pioneer Women of Arizona, Latter-day Saints in Tucson, Snowflake, Show Low and Oracle and the San Pedro Valley. She is a member of the Oracle Historical Society and volunteers with the Oracle Cemetery where she has worked to identify some of the old graves and learn the stories behind the gravestones.
“History is important because I don’t want ‘unimportant’ people to be forgotten,” she said.
Congratulations, Catherine!